Announcements

The flowers on the altar are given by Susan & John Thomson in memory of Susan’s parents, David & Joan Fleming. Coincidentally, January 12th was Joan’s birthday.

Tomorrow, Sunday, Jan. 12, Quad Preaching Schedule
SUM - Pastor Gene Ott
Copper Hill UMC - Sue Lemke
North Canton Community UMC - Jeff Cedarfield

Concert Tomorrow: “A European Musical Tour”
SUM member Janet Stodd will be playing a concert at the Simsbury Library with pianist Michael Yachanin tomorrow, Sunday, January 12, at 2 PM. Join us for this wonderful concert. You can register here to attend.

Resilience - A Collaborative Art Experience
SUM is participating in a collaborative art exhibit themed “Resilience” at the Mandell JCC of Greater Hartford Jewish Community Center on May 6 - June 27, 2025. Based on the song "Draw the Circle Wide," Lori Racicot-Burrous, Cheryl Langin, and Lori Catlin Garcia have envisioned a collaborative design for the artwork. Tomorrow, Sunday, January 12, after all three services, we will be in Wesley Hall, and SUM parishioners of all ages are invited to "make their marks" in paint on the canvas and help us draw the circle wide - artistic experience is not necessary. Once the artwork is finished, we will share photos, the artist statement, and information regarding the opening celebration, etc. If you have any questions, contact Lori Burrous.

Susannas
This is just a reminder that the Susannas will NOT meet this month. We will resume in February.

Potluck on Jan. 20th
SUM will host a Comfort (food) & Joy potluck on MLK Day, Monday, January 20, at noon. Try a recipe from the new SUM cookbook, or bring an old favorite. Leave your phones at home. 

Refugee Resettlement Potluck & Presentation
Join us for a potluck at noon on Sunday, January 26, in Wesley Hall. Come celebrate SUM’s refugee resettlement work. Bring a dish to share (no pork, please). Sue and Mike Sames lead The Welcoming Project, a group of volunteers from SUM, other churches, a synagogue, and a mosque. We will have outside guests, including our volunteers, staff from IRIS, a resettlement agency, and one (or more) of the refugee families we have helped resettle. We will invite other interested folks from the community. Two Yale grad students will show a film about The Welcoming Project and the first refugee family we resettled. The Welcoming Project expects to greet two new families in January. 

2025 Adult Spiritual Growth Classes
A new year means it is time for new Adult Spiritual Growth opportunities for you. Once again, your facilitators have chosen an interesting variety of topics. We hope there are at least one or two that speak to you. Please review the options on our website (“Take a Class” page) or check out the flyers posted at church. Then, sign up by clicking “Register” or emailing me. It is important to register to ensure you receive the reading assignments and any class cancellations or changes. Stay tuned, we have a great lineup planned through Easter, but there is not enough room to share them all yet.
Blessings, Eileen M Brogan

Office Hours
SUM office hours will be Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 9–3. Deb Reid will be working remotely on Wednesdays and Fridays and will check messages on those days.

SUM Recipe Books Have Arrived!
The 2024 SUM Recipe Books have arrived and are on sale. The books will be sold after church services on Sundays, as well as on special occasions. Given this is a fundraiser, each book is priced at $20.00, with 68% going into the SUM General Fund. We will accept your donation in a variety of ways:
• Pay by cash in person.
• Pay by check made out to SUM with “Cookbook” in the memo line.
• Visit our website and select the word DONATE to go directly to Vanco to pay (choose SUM COOKBOOK).
• Pay by bank transfer using the QR code below.

If you have questions or concerns, reach out to Eileen Brogan. 

Prayers and Squares Need Old Pillowcases
Do you have some old pillowcases hanging around that you do not need? Prayers and Squares make pet beds from fabric scraps stuffed in pillowcases. We also make washable covers for them and donate these to Double Dog Rescue, Hopmeadow Animal Hospital, and even the Children's Christmas Workshop. If you have any old pillowcases you can donate to us, you can drop them off in the box in the Prayer Room. Thank you! -Donna Motyl

Brag Board
Introducing the SUM Brag Board! - located in the LLI hallway (next to the closet with all the tables). Place pictures of your children’s first day of school, birthdays, holidays, etc. Pin up photos of your pets. Show us your grandchildren. Bring in your photos along with a description to share with everyone.

Praying for the Entire SUM Family
Each week, we will publish five SUM directory entries to the Messenger so that you can add these people to your prayers. By the end of the year, we will have prayed for the entire SUM family. This week, please pray for the following: the Barcomb family (Jessica, Ellery, Wesley, and Ansley), the Barnes family (Pam, Chris, and Madison), the Barrett family (Dan, Kara, and Mia), the Bayona family (Ramon, Wendy, Morgan, and Lindsay), and Rudy & Janice Becker.

The Prayer Chain is Ready for Your Requests
The SUM reinvigorated Prayer Chain is ready for your requests. We have a dedicated team of Prayer Warriors who will receive them. To submit a prayer request, email our Prayer Warriors. Please let our Prayer Chain team know if the prayers are no longer needed by sending an update to the same email address.